DICE Exploring Battlefield 4 Head-Tracking Using Kinect

Battlefield developer DICE is continuing to look into possible uses for Kinect in the Xbox One version of Battlefield 4, and among them are head tracking and voice commands.

Speaking in an Xbox Wire interview, Battlefield 4 executive producer Patrick Bach indicated that multiple applications for Kinect on Xbox One are being explored. "[W]ith Kinect, we're looking into features that enhance the controls including peeking and leaning and tracking head movement," he said, "as well as incorporating voice commands."

DICE had already announced it plans to include some kind of Kinect support on Xbox One, though that won't come in the form of motion controls. As reported by VideoGamer in July, DICE boss Karl Magnus Troedsson told Game Informer that motion controls simply don't work for Battlefield 4, where precision input is needed, and that any Kinect support will "make sense." Voice commands and head tracking sound like the sort of subtle implementations of Kinect that fit the bill, though it remains to be seen exactly how (or if) they will be incorporated.

Kinect support isn't the only aspect of Battlefield 4 that's restricted from current-gen versions of the game. The second-screen experience DICE and EA have spoken a great deal about is available only to PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 players.

The PC and current-gen versions of Battlefield 4 are scheduled for release on October 29 in North America, with all three platforms also seeing an open beta that will begin on October 1. The PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game will launch alongside the consoles themselves on November 15 and November 22, respectively. The first of the Battlefield 4 expansions will begin appearing later this year.

Chris Pereira is a freelance writer who spends his spare time agonizing over the final seasons of The X-Files. Check out what he's saying on Twitter and follow him on IGN.